Page 17 of Flirting with Death

She smacked my chest. "You could have told me you would be back. I thought I lost both of you."

Lex stepped up behind her, and our eyes met. I could see the sarcastic comment about that just being who I was, lurking in their depths. But he didn't utter it out loud. Instead, he murmured, "Next time give us a heads up."

Bellamy and Lex embraced each other, and jealousy at their bond skated through me. Of course, they would end up growing close. They probably both bonded over what an asshole I was.

"I apologize, my love," I said, focusing on Samantha. She blushed at my endearment and ducked her head against my chest.

"That is one thing I realized when you disappeared. I do care about you, Alastor, more than I even knew. You wormed your way into my heart, and I don't think I want you to leave."

Raiden was as still as a statue, watching our group. I couldn't read him, but I knew he didn't trust me, that much was clear. But I was sure that he didn't really throw his trust around. There was still time to win him over. I could charm him, too. If Samantha chose to have him in her life, then he would be in mine, too.

"Good to see you, dragon," I said. Samantha tucked herself into my side, and she looked over at Raiden, too. He gave me a chin raise, and that was it. We had to start somewhere.

"We should take this reunion back to Fantasia," Lex said.

"Good idea." Sam pulled away and headed down the path. Within twenty minutes, we had moved into the same room we had planned in before.

We all stood awkwardly when the door shut behind us. Then Samantha stepped away from us all.

"Look, I know this isn't a normal situation. The five of us—" She circled her hand between all of us and then back to herself. "And I'm not exactly sure how it will all work out. I'll even understand if you don't want to be a part of whatever it is. But I can't give up any of you."

"You want something from me?" Bellamy asked, his face guarded. No emotions even cracked through his wall. I couldn't pick up what he was thinking.

"I know it isn't conventional. A demon and a demon hunter, but—"

"It's a relief to know that I won't have to kidnap you like my brother did Juliana," he said. "As for sharing your affection, I promise not to kill any of your other mates."

A surprised laugh parted her lips as Bellamy shot me a glare that said, if he could, he would. The tension between us ratcheted up another level, and all I could think about was his fingers around my neck. But that was a one-time thing, he made that clear since he had shown up in my hotel room again.

"You already know how I feel," Lex said. He dropped a kiss to her forehead, and she returned his soft smile. Of course, the golden boy would accept everything without so much as a complaint. He had always been more accepting of things than I was.

"Rai?" she asked.

He studied each of us before he gave a small nod. "I'll try, I told you that already."

When she turned to me, her face full of restrained hope, the only thing I could do was nod. I had already come to terms with everything. A smile spread her mouth wide, her eyes twinkled with something I couldn't read.

She closed the distance between us, her palms pressed against my chest. "I know you have held yourself back, but I need you to know that I'm all in now. You are stuck with me."

Her body pressed against mine as she went up on her toes and melded her lips to mine. I froze beneath her touch as time seemed to stop. Then it slammed into high speed, and I gathered her into my arms, deepening our kiss. It didn't matter if the others stood watching us. I didn't care; she was all that mattered.

A throat cleared, yanking us both back to reality. I reluctantly pulled away.

"We should talk about the other muse," the dragon murmured, and I knew it was him that interrupted our kiss. But he was right, we had bigger things to worry about, like the Demon King already here hunting Samantha.

"Other muse?" Bellamy asked. "Why are we talking about more than one? Or any at all?" He leaned against the stripper pole, his feet crossed. Cerberus was laying near him, one head watching him, the other two sleeping off the fight they just had.

"The demons kidnapped one, and another paid a visit to my brother," Sam said. She turned in a circle in my arms, her hands keeping mine in place around her as she leaned against me.

Bellamy narrowed his gaze at our connection but said nothing.

"Apollo wants Samantha to rescue the muse, but we found out tonight that they already have a plan for her," Lex added. "So we need to stop them before they kidnap her."

"If anyone kidnaps her, it will be me," I said. My fingers flexed into her soft stomach at the idea of anyone else holding her against her will.

Bellamy snorted and rolled his eyes. "Daddy's boy."

Lex smoothed a hand over his face, hiding his matching smile, wiping it away before it could grow. Raiden eyed me like he didn't trust me. He was probably right not to, because I wasn't joking. If it would keep her safe, I would lock her in that tower in the time it took them to blink. Only her soft touch over mine soothed the beast inside that wanted to do just that. So much for wooing her. I was walking the edge of madness my father had danced on before my mom. That someone could harm what was mine boiled inside of me to the point I needed an outlet before I cracked.

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